ONE-MAN THEATER HELPS KILL TIME (Jun, 1936)

This is the precursor to those little coin-op TVs they used to have in airports.

ONE-MAN THEATER HELPS KILL TIME

To help travelers while away the time when waiting for trains, a one-man movie theater, suitable for installation in railway terminals, has been designed by a New York inventor. Entering the booth of one of these devices, a patron would seat himself before a miniature screen and insert a coin in a slot. An automatic projector would then entertain him with a current film production until he was ready to leave. A number of booths of this type would offer a choice of films.

They also had these at malls and arcades. They used to show old cartoons.

Max says: January 13, 20082:35 pm

I remember something similar at some airports in the 1960s: chairs with a little TV set built into one arm. You’d drop in a coin or two and watch while waiting for your flight. As a five-year-old, I thought they were pretty cool.

jayessell says: January 13, 20083:56 pm

cks2008
I saw one too!
1980s? 1990s?
Apollo Mall in Montecello NY?

They should have those again, but with a DVR loaded with public domain cartoons.